


Rekindling the Fire

by BladedBlossom



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Angst, F/M, Healing, Romance, Teamwork
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-19
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2019-01-19 16:36:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12413898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BladedBlossom/pseuds/BladedBlossom
Summary: Katniss and Peeta keep each other going. In the process, doubts are eased and hearts are soothed. And passion flares.





	Rekindling the Fire

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Just read The Hunger Games and fell in love with it. Here's my first contribution to the fandom. This takes place close to when Peeta returns to District 12 after being treated by Dr. Aurelius. I'd say it's about a week after he and Katniss reunite. 
> 
> Sorry to say this is kind of a rush job, but I couldn't wait to post it. Any plot or character mistakes are my own.

Katniss replaced her telephone on its cradle and sighed heavily. She'd been speaking with Dr. Aurelius about her months of depression and her cautious hope on Peeta's return to District 12's Victor's Village. When asked for the reason for her caution, she'd hesitated before whispering that she didn't entirely trust him. When Dr. Aurelius responded that it was understandable given how their reunion had panned out in District 13, she shook her head, even though he couldn't see her. She'd gone on to explain that it was about what he'd said when she'd returned from District 2. How could she believe in him if he despised her on some level?

Dr. Aurelius had gone silent then, thoughtful. He finally told her to talk to Peeta, and added that he understood her reservations and worries but felt that Peeta was as close to his true self as could be expected given his traumatic experiences. Which was of course why he was released to go home.

So here she sat on her leather sofa, wondering how in the world she would broach such a painful topic to Peeta without either lashing out or breaking down. And of course, Peeta chose this awkward moment to walk into the living room carrying a simple breakfast of toast spread with strawberry preserves, some cold squirrel meat, and bitter leaves.

"Hey," Peeta greeted huskily, mouth turned down in concern. "Something wrong? And do you mind if I have breakfast without you? Guess I was more tired than I thought last night and you've probably already eaten. Heard you on the phone so I thought I'd keep myself scarce until you were done."

"No," Katniss answered quietly. "I don't mind. And I'm fine."

Peeta began lifting the toast to his mouth and paused partway through the motion, eyes narrowing at Katniss. "You're a terrible liar, sweetheart." One corner of his mouth quirked upward. "I'm guessing what you mean is you don't want to discuss it. Fine, but I've found discussion can be helpful. I should know, after all, what with all my talks with Dr. Aurelius."

Katniss frowned, mildly annoyed. "I'm going hunting," she said brusquely, getting up and collecting her gear.

"As you wish," Peeta replied neutrally.

Katniss paused at the door, nervously fiddling with her bowstring. She looked back over her shoulder, her practical braid swinging forward with the motion, fixing her gaze on Peeta's face as she said, "Enjoy breakfast" in an equally even tone before closing her door quietly behind her.

Katniss returned home to an empty house. She felt a bit let down, but pushed her disappointment aside. Peeta had his own place, and maybe he wanted to paint or decorate cakes. She shouldn't begrudge him that. But she'd been hoping for a nice reunion, preferably involving lingering kisses and warm, strong hugs. No matter. She stowed her cleaned birds in her refrigerator and took a warm bath, which relaxed her enough to wash away the vestiges of her pique and helped firm her resolve to have that talk with Peeta. 

Katniss removed the birds from the refrigerator and coated them with a garlic and Parmesan mixture. She rubbed them with oil and placed them in a baking pan, which she covered with foil and placed in her preheated oven. After cleaning herself up and braiding her hair, she called Peeta on the phone. He picked up on the fourth ring.

"Hello?"

"Peeta, can I come over?"

"You're always welcome, Katniss. You don't need to ask."

Katniss was warmed all the way through by his gentle tone. "Still, I can't just barge in. I have hens baking right now. I'll bring them over to your place when they're done. And..." She hesitated. "I was on the phone with Dr. Aurelius. He suggests I talk to you about what's wrong."

"Sounds fine. See you soon."

"See you."

Katniss paced around nervously, sat down on her sofa, then got up and walked around some more. She sat down again and shook herself violently, scowling. This had to be done, but she hated her roiling stomach and unforgiving nature. Why couldn't she just let it go? Haymitch wouldn't approve, and she knew he was right. What Peeta said wasn't his fault. But she couldn't forget and she couldn't pretend. She couldn't lie, either to herself or to Peeta.

She leaned back against a small pillow, trying to feel nothing until her oven timer went off. She transferred the hens to a platter, which she covered and carried to Peeta's place, anticipation momentarily overriding any misgivings lurking in her mind.

Peeta met Katniss with a smile, taking the warm platter from her and setting it on his dining table. Katniss, for her part, grinned at the scent of freshly baked bread, noticing cheese buns next to her hens, and basil and arugula leaves to serve as accompaniment.

When Peeta turned back toward Katniss after arranging the table, she was waiting with her arms open. Peeta jogged toward her and she leapt at him, arms enfolding each other and lips touching hungrily. They stayed like this a long moment, finally pulling apart when their muscles began to tire. Peeta let go first, moving to pull out Katniss's chair for her. She sat smoothly, though her posture stiffened a bit. Peeta uncovered the hens and began carving them, Katniss watching his movements appreciatively. "You really are good with a knife," she commented idly.

Peeta spoke as he carved, shrugging one shoulder. "Cutting bread; cutting meat. Not much difference."

Katniss' eyes widened a little as she remembered thinking how shooting a person and shooting an animal was basically the same in execution. "I guess so."

Finished with the hens, Peeta made a plate for Katniss as she tried to work out a way to open the conversation she needed to have. When he'd served himself and took his seat across from her, she knew she couldn't delay any further. She took his hand in hers, drawing strength from the contact, and spoke between bites. "Peeta, I just realized there are no utensils." She blinked, surprised that she'd said that.

Peeta smirked. "I figured we didn't need any. After all, we're District 12. We're too unsophisticated to know how to use them."

Katniss snorted, then laughed happily. "It's fine by me. There's something...relaxing about it."

Peeta chuckled softly. "Even in the midst of the Games, we found beauty."

Katniss nodded solemnly. Then she cleared her throat. Peeta lowered the breast meat he was about to eat and met her eyes, alert. "Peeta?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you think..." Katniss' gaze wavered and she forced it back to Peeta's eyes. "Do you think I'm a piece of work?" She was somewhat ashamed of the pleading note at the end of her query.

"What?" Peeta exploded. "Of course not. Where would you get...that...idea..." He froze, pained. "I...Wait..." He shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry. I know what I said, but I was wrong."

Katniss shook her head. "No. You were right. What kind of decent person kisses two guys and doesn't care that it's not okay to them?"

"But you did care. Didn't you feel badly when you kissed Gale because you knew how I felt about you?"

"Yes. But it didn't stop me. I'm despicable."

Peeta pursed his lips thoughtfully. "How many times did you kiss him again?"

"Um...A few times. Once it happened spontaneously. We were in the woods together. Another time was after his whipping. And then...It was after you rejected me. I'd decided you hated me and you'd never love me again, so I ran to him for some kind of comfort. But don't worry. It backfired. Gale noticed I wasn't quite in the moment, if you get what I mean. He said kissing me was like kissing someone who was drunk."

"Has he ever done that before?" Peeta's eyebrows lifted curiously.

"No." Katniss smiled, but then it faded as she turned serious again. "But that's just what I asked him. He just meant that the kiss and being in his arms didn't count because I wasn't doing it for the right reason."

"Yeah. That one doesn't count. I kind of feel sorry for Gale."

Katniss winced. "See? I'm terrible. I overheard a conversation between you and Gale where he said I would choose the person I felt I couldn't survive without. Not the person it would break my heart to lose. Just a cold, hard analysis of whether you or Gale would provide better for me physically. If that's all I am, what do you see in me?"

Peeta was silent a while, thinking. "You risked your life to save your sister. You also did so for me."

Katniss opened her mouth to object, but then realized she'd truly been willing to face death if it meant they would live. It couldn't be called selfish because she wouldn't be around to bask in their affection. Her mouth closed and she nodded.

"Then there was District 8 and the bombing of the hospital. You couldn't let that stand."

Katniss nodded again and began eating. Peeta followed suit. They continued their conversation between bites.

"You nursed me back to health, and it wasn't pretty. You held your ground, despite the disgust you felt."

"Running away wasn't an option."

Peeta tilted his head to the side quizzically, but didn't argue. "And then there's the simple fact that if you feel hurt that Gale and I depicted you so harshly, there's probably hope for you. If you were really manipulative and selfish, you wouldn't care that people said that about you."

"But if the two of you feel that way, there must be something to it. Neither of you are stupid. Your words have to be considered."

"Katniss, hold on a minute. Why are you giving weight to something I said when I wasn't myself? It's like accepting the judgment of someone...well...drunk."

"Well, because...because...I don't know. It's just been bothering me all this time. You tell me you were wrong and that you're sorry. You're back here now and helping me to mourn Prim with primroses. But if you said it, you must have meant it. And if you meant it, how can I believe you don't resent me? How can I know you don't hate me?"

Peeta chewed his bite of bread and meat slowly and took Katniss's other hand. "Katniss, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." She reclaimed one hand and started eating again, though her other hand remained in Peeta's.

"Remember when we were in Tigris' safe house and I didn't want to go underground with you?"

"Of course. Leaving you behind was out of the question."

"You'd said I was needed for the fake mission. No one believed that. Least of all me. What was your real reason for not letting me stay behind?"

"Because you'd die. Or else you'd be captured and truly broken. And both alternatives just weren't acceptable."

"Why? I thought you'd given up on me? I certainly did after seeing how evil I was."

"I gave up too soon. Hope was rekindled because of the wedding cake you made. It was beautiful and I knew right away it was yours. I was sure you were still there. And then I heard your kindness when Annie thanked you for it. And I couldn't just let you go without a fight." Katniss swallowed her bite of food and it was her turn to claim Peeta's hand and hold his gaze. "Peeta, I need you. Without you, I'm just an empty shell. Without you, my world is bleak and cold. I came alive when I knew you were alive, though you were being hijacked and tortured. I had a purpose. And now that you're here again, I can hunt again. Do you understand?"

"Are you saying you can't live without me?"

"Yes," Katniss whispered.

"Do you remember what I said when I was myself? I was saying no one needed me. I said that without you, there was nothing in this world for me. Knowing you were alive kept me hanging on when all I wanted to do was die. Because as long as I lived, it was my job to make sure you did, too. And it turns out that'll be my job for the rest of my life. If you'll have me."

"Oh, Peeta," Katniss gasped softly. "There are no ifs about it. There's no one else I'd rather have beside me. But please. If I should die before you, promise me you'll survive. It's what you'd want me to do if our positions were reversed."

Peeta gave a long sigh and nodded. "I promise I won't kill myself. I'll die eventually, and that'll have to be enough."

Katniss leaned forward and captured Peeta's lips in a tender kiss. "And I promise you the same."

There was silence for a few moments, and then Peeta said, "Do you believe I love you?"

Katniss nodded. "Yes. But why?"

"Why do I love you?" Peeta's question was incredulous.

"I mean..." Katniss released Peeta's hands and clasped hers together on the table in front of her. Her head tilted down toward her plate as she realized what she actually needed to know. "can you forgive me for not choosing sooner - for not being sure what I needed? Can you forgive me for taking so long to understand that I love you?"

Peeta broke into a broad grin, got to his feet, and swept his little Katniss into his arms as she squeaked in surprise and then joy. She angled her head to kiss his lips, draping an arm across his back as he held her securely to his chest and draped her legs over one arm. He didn't immediately claim her lips, but spoke as he walked to his bedroom. "If you can forgive me for breaking your heart with what I said, even though I didn't know what I was doing. It hurt you all the same, and I'm sorry I didn't care."

Katniss felt a change in her heart, and knew her festering wound would now heal. Peeta always did know what to say. "Let me wrap my legs around you," she purred in Peeta's ear.

Katniss felt Peeta's chuckle vibrate in his chest before he turned her in his arms to face him. She wound her legs around his waist, stroking his cheek with one hand and cupping the back of his head with the other. She ran her tongue over the side of his neck, kissing it lightly and nuzzling it before laying her head against his shoulder. She felt Peeta's shiver as her body pressed against his and registered his palms caressing her back as he moved. She heard the clicks of the door closing as he kicked it shut and felt the softness under her as he carefully positioned her on the bed. And then she claimed his lips as they descended on hers and the world faded and was gone.


End file.
